THE PROGRESS OF ORCHID CULTURE IN AMERICA. 137 



ciently extensive to warrant specification are about twenty 

 in number ; but • there are many other small lots scattered 

 in different parts of the country, and grown by amateurs who 

 have just started in orchid culture. First among the private 

 collections is that of Erastus Corning, located at Albany, X. Y. 

 This was begun about 1850, and its growth has been constant 

 ever since, and now, though closely rivalled by two others, it has 

 no equal in this country ; and I regret that 1 have so little space 

 to describe it. Nine houses are devoted to the orchids, to wit : 

 a Cattleya house, 100X20 feet; Cypripedium house, 50X17 feet; 

 Dendrobium house, 60X22 feet; Oncidium and Lycaste house, 

 60X22 feet ; Phalaenopsis house, 50x22 feet ; Vanda house, 40X17 

 feet; a north or cool house, 36X12 feet, devoted to Masdeval- 

 lias, and another cool north house, 60X12 feet, for Odontoglos- 

 sums. There is, in addition to these, a resting house, 30X17 

 feet, where deciduous orchids which need a long period of rest, 

 during which they are kept dry and cool, are housed. A house of 

 this character is a necessity where a large collection is grown, and 

 here are kept such things as Bletias, Cyuoches, Mormocles, Den- 

 drobiums, and other species which are not particularly ornamental 

 when at rest ; and they are thus exempted from the exciting effects 

 of heat and moisture from fall until spring, when growth com- 

 mences. 



Mr. Coming's collection has been for 3-ears under the skilful 

 care of William Gray, who as an orchidist is at the head of his 

 profession. The collection embraces the immense total of over 

 12,000 plants, a large number of them magnificent specimens, in 

 size from a foot to several feet across. There are over 1,100 

 species and varieties, and among these are 48 species and varieties 

 of Aerides, 19 of Angrjecums, 11 of Calanthes, 135 of Cattle3'as, 

 16 of Coelogynes, 18 of Cymbidiums, 91 of Cypripediums, 102 of 

 Dendrobiums, 31 of Epidendrums, 72 of Laelias, 16 of Lycastes, 

 34 of Masdevallias, 98 of Odontoglossums, 68 of Oncidiums, 12 

 of Phaius, 58 of Phalaenopsis, 22 of Saccolabiums, 13 of Stan- 

 hopeas, 36 of Vandas, and from one to eight or ten species of 

 ever}' other genus worth}' of cultivation. 



Some idea may be gained of the size of this collection from 

 the numbers in some of the genera, to wit : 6,000 Odontoglossums, 

 2,000 Cattleyas, 500 Dendrobiums, 400 Calanthes, 300 Cypripe- 

 diums, 300 Lycastes, etc. The collection contains many unique 



